Summary:
When 10-old Xan
and his father Peter come across an orphaned cheetah cub, they name their new
friend "Duma," the Swahili name for cheetah, and he quickly becomes a member of
the family. But, when Duma is almost fully grown, to Xan's dismay, his father
tells him that it's time to take his friend to his real home before he grows too
old to survive in his native habitat. Xan reluctantly agrees, but their plans
must be put on hold when his father suddenly falls ill and Xan and his mother
must move to Johannesburg. When Duma escapes and pays a disastrous visit to
Xan's school, the two of them must flee the city to keep Duma from being put
into captivity. Not knowing where to go, Xan gets an idea -- he'll carry out the
plan his dad had outlined, taking Duma home to a safe and lush place hundreds of
miles across South Africa, over the scorching Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, through
the Okavango Delta and into the Erongo Mountains. Entering the lush jungles of
the Okavango Delta, Xan finds himself surrounded by danger -- lions, crocodiles
and deadly poisonous creatures. But it's far too late to turn back now as Xan
faces the true test of love, attempting to cross the wilds to return his best
friend to his rightful home.